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#4- Starting pitcher
This is a big need for the team. Yovani Gallardo is scheduled for free agency. There is a lot of talk whether or not the club should offer Gallardo a qualifying contract for about $15.8M for the 2016 season. Gallardo is an innings eater and pitched very well for the Rangers last season. With an injury to Yu Darvish the Rangers need arms in their rotation.
The addition of Cole Hamels instantly makes the Rangers a contender. He is a great top of the order pitcher but the Rangers lack consistency behind him for the 2016 season. Darvish is due back from Tommy John surgery around May, but what can you really expect from him in the 2016 season? Derek Holland had an up-and-down year, and is always an injury risk. Young Martin Perez showed a lot last season for the team, but he is still learning his craft.
Colby Lewis started 33 games for the team last season and totaled 204.2 innings. He is a free agent, and is an option to be brought back depending on what he commands financially. The Rangers need for a starter will surely be addressed.
Jordan Zimmerman and Scott Kazmir would make interesting additions for the Rangers. The team does have some financial constraints, so unless they can find a team to take Elvis Andrus and his $107 M contract, they might just have to do some bargain hunting for starting pitchers as well. Either way this is an area the team will be addressing during the offseason.
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